1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an image blur correction method which correct image deterioration caused by an image blur resulting from camera shake.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, imaging apparatuses such as a camera equipped with a camera shake correction function have been widespread. Such a camera enables photography of a satisfactory photographic image without an image blur caused by camera shake even if no attention is paid to the camera shake during hand-held photography.
Meanwhile, there is a photography method known as follow shot. According to this photography method, photography is performed along with, for example, a panning operation in a horizontal direction and a tilting operation in a vertical direction while a camera is moved in response to a moving subject. According to this photography method, the moving subject is photographed without any blur, that is, photographed as if the subject has stopped, and the background of the moving subject flows in the moving direction of this subject and thus becomes dim (blurs), so that the subject can be distinctly photographed, and the movement of the subject can be expressed.
When such a follow shot is performed with a camera in which the camera shake correction function is effective, this camera erroneously detects that the operation of moving the camera by the panning operation and the tilting operation is the occurrence of camera shake, and makes a camera shake correction in response to the camera shake detection.
Thus, the problem of an image obtained by the follow shot is that the blur of the background is eased, and the subject is blurred, so that an image which does not meet the original intention of the follow shot is photographed.
For example, Patent Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-216104 shows a technique to address such a problem. In the disclosure according to Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 5-216104, follow shot determining means and switch means are provided. The follow shot determining means has movement detection means for detecting a camera shake and then outputting a movement detection signal, a correction optical system which corrects the camera shake, and a movement drive unit which drives the correction optical system on the basis of the movement detection signal from the movement detection means. The follow shot determining means determines whether a follow shot is being performed in accordance with the characteristics of a detection signal from the movement detection means in which the high-frequency component of the movement detection signal is removed. The switch means blocks the movement detection signal when the follow shot determining means determines that the follow shot is performed. When it is determined that the follow shot is being performed, the camera shake correction of the movement drive unit is automatically stopped so that the follow shot operation is not erroneously corrected.